Uncharted Territory
by j0karev
Summary: She is determined to stay away. He isn't making it very easy for her. (Jo/Alex)
1. Hot Mess

It wasn't surprising, considering the hospital's rumour mill, that she heard about him before she saw him. Not one for gossip, Jo hadn't really paid them much attention. She'd decided long before she got here she wasn't going to get involved with any of her colleagues. Things like that nearly always got...messy, especially when her past was taken into consideration. She came here to be a surgeon, and she wasn't going to be stupid enough to let herself get dragged down by being the hospital manwhore's skank of the week. Plus, she figured it was kind of gross to even think about sleeping with him. He'd already been through half of her friends, and Jo was pretty sure there was some sort of girl code that prevented her from going anywhere near Alex Karev.

Not that she wanted to.

Her turn to be on his service came around pretty quickly. Unsurprisingly, he didn't seem to want to spend more time than he had to with his one night stands. Another reason, she assured herself, that she was doing the right thing. She liked peds. Even though she was only an intern, like the rest she was already seriously considering her specialty options, and at the moment peds was one of the top runners. She couldn't afford to get barred from his service over some sleazy encounter that would only serve to get her a reputation for sleeping her way into surgeries. She'd worked too hard and too long to get here to allow that to happen.

So, there was only one thing for it. She had to let him know there was no way in hell she was interested in him. It sounded so simple in her head. In theory, all she had to do was shoot him a couple glares and push him away if he came too close for her liking. Theory didn't take into account his smile.

Oh god, his smile.

"Pull yourself together, idiot," she muttered under her breath, earning her a strange glance from him. Well, better he thought her a little strange than avoid her at all costs. She was being strong, and not giving in, and- and it kind of pissed her off a little he hadn't made any sort of move yet. Who the hell did he think he was, putting a central lines into some little kid instead of hitting on her? She was Jo Wilson, for God's sake, and she'd been mentally preparing herself all afternoon to resist his advance. Was she really so insufferable she wouldn't even suffice for a one night stand?

She tried to ignore it. He was funny and hot and she could easily understand how all her friends had been taken in so easily, but why- _why- _wasn't he even giving her the opportunity to turn him down? Because she would. Oh, she would. She'd stand there condescendingly and shoot him down with a killer line she hadn't thought of yet.

Oh well, she had plenty of time, considering even he didn't want her.

Did she have some sort of sign on her head, alerting people to stay away? "Warning: emotional baggage. For your health and safety, back away. Slowly."

"Wilson. _Wilson_." The sound of her name brought her back to earth, startling her. She blinked, and suddenly his gorgeous brown eyes came into focus. His face was close to hers, too close, and she sucked in a breath.

This was the moment. She could do it, it would take all her self-restraint but she cou-

He was turning away. Turning _away_. And before she knew it, she was tapping him on the back to get his attention, looking him indignantly right in the eye, hands planted on her hips. She was pissed off, and maybe she had no right to be, but she had to _know_.

"What's wrong with me, then? What is so _repugnant_ about me that I'm not even good enough for one of your cheap one night stands? I'm hot, I know I'm hot, so there must be something about me you absolutely can't stand."

She stared him down, feeling terribly self-conscious but also weirdly proud. He seemed surprised, and also surprised at his surprise. She bet it was something he hadn't felt in a while, and that was down to her.

But she was getting distracted, and he was also a sarcastic jerk, who'd screwed over too many of her friends to count.

And not her.

"Well?" she started again, before he clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Wilson, shut up." She wanted to tell him to go to hell, but he had a big hand. "Yes, you're hot. I'm not trying to sleep with you because you're one of the more tolerable interns, stupid. And because you're not entirely crap at peds, which is more than I can say for the majority of your class. And you and I both know that if we slept together, it'd be fun, sure, but it would also make working together awkward. So, stop whining, and get your ass back to work."

He left her there nodding dumbly.

He'd called her hot.


	2. No Rest for the Wicked

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, which is probably quite fortunate because otherwise the season premiere would just be two hours of Jolex making out.**

No one was more surprised than Jo when Dr Grey announced Karev had requested her on his service for the second day in a row, although the other interns came close. Previously, he'd been rotating through the female interns, selecting a new one every day and occasionally picking one of the guys when he needed a break from the incessant one night stands.

In other words, no one had ever managed to persuade him to take them back. And now she had, and she had absolutely no idea why, or what it meant.

Grey was barely out the door when the first barely veiled insult materialised.

"You must have done something really special for him last night for him to want you back, Jo."

Parker, hospital-renowned douchebag, leered at her, only too happy to have the opportunity to knock Jo Wilson down to size. She glared back, hands curling into fists by her side. He saw this, she knew, because the look of triumph in his eyes had diminished slightly to accommodate a glint of fear.

She smirked.

"Relax, idiot. I'm not going to hit you. Although I should. You're an ass. And you're basically sexually harassing me. But I'm going to let it go, partially because I'm a sweetheart deep down and mostly because you're the type that would sue."

She turned, a smug grin plastered across her face, and smacked straight into the surprisingly muscular chest of the devil in question.

Shit.

"How much of that did you hear?"

"Enough."

"That isn't really an answer, you kn-"

"Enough to know that you were right in calling him an ass, and that the next time I have a pile of scut that needs doing I'll be offering it to him."

Jo felt a compelling urge to defend her fellow intern, before she remembered he'd basically called her a surgery whore. Then, she didn't feel so bad. But still, her pride was at stake. She wasn't some helpless young intern that needed to be defended by any man.

"You don't have to do that. I can take care of myself, you know."

"Shut up, princess. You certainly have a high opinion of yourself, don't you? No, I'm doing it for the good of the hospital. And, he technically insulted me too."

She snorted. Unattractively.

"Oh, yes, you're practically the hospital hero. Do you have a super power? Apart from an almost uncanny ability to pick up every intern in this place?"

"I can't help it if the chicks can't stay away from me. Not that I blame them, of course. I mean, look at me."

He lifted his arms into the air, curling his biceps in an attempt to prove to her just how futile resistance was.

She laughed. He looked at her, affronted.

"What, princess?"

Princess again. Clearly, he thought she was some sort of spoiled rich kid who'd bought her way into the program. Well, it showed what he knew, and she was almost tempted to tell him exactly how she'd lived in the lap of luxury in her car for two years. Almost, because she wasn't an idiot. He'd get that look of pity in his eyes people always did, be extra nice to her for a couple days, and then scramble to get away from her as quickly as possible. Not that she could blame him. Magazine subscribers had less issues than she did, and for whatever reason, most people seemed to think they were contagious.

Still, the nickname pissed her off.

"Don't call me that."

"Why not, princess?"

Bad move. Let him know it annoyed her, and it gave him the upper hand.

"I prefer Lady, as a matter of fact. More true to life. I mean, I only have 27 fireplaces, if you don't count the butler's."

She grinned, leaning in conspiratorially.

"But who counts the help?"

He laughed, and she couldn't help but feel the tiniest bit of pride that that was due to her. Still, she wasn't sure if he believed her. Not that it mattered. He'd never guess the truth.

"Come on, princess. We've got work to do."

Damn.

**A/N: Major shout outs and virtual hugs to Burcu for actually persuading me to do this (even though she's a loser and I don't know why I listen to her anyway), to Annie for being so absolutely unbelievably supportive, and to them, Chanel5, xsweetgirlx91, and Sarah for being absolute babes and reviewing. Fair warning, reviews= faster updates.**


	3. Here Comes Trouble

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, which means one or both of Jolex will probably die before the end of S10 at the hands of Shonda Rhimes.**

Jo Wilson was not co-ordinated. She wasn't graceful, and no one would ever make the mistake of calling her out for not pursuing every girl's childhood dream of becoming a ballerina. Still, she'd managed to pass her first few weeks at the hospital relatively smoothly, and without enlightening very many people to this fact. So, she got complacent. Somewhere along the line she stopped believing that total, utter embarrassment was around every corner.

Which meant that one day, when she was walking out of the elevator studying the latest case file Dr Grey had given her, she wasn't paying the slightest attention to where she was going.

Mistake.

They say pride comes before a fall, and unfortunately, in Jo's case, it was all too literal.

There wasn't a single obstacle in her way, and no bitchy nurse stuck out a foot. No, she went flying of her own accord. And, because hitting the ground would be too easy, she fell smack bang into none other than Alex Karev, taking him down with her.

If you counted administration, there were hundreds of members of staff in the hospital, not to mention patients and visitors. But, of course, it was him she ended up crushing in the middle of the hallway.

The rational thing to do would to be to get up immediately, apologise, and get back to work.

But she'd never claimed to be rational. If hindsight was 20/20, Jo was pretty sure she needed glasses.

Instead, she stared at him. And he stared back, a mixture of shock and something else painted all over her face. She couldn't place it. Was he pissed off? She didn't think so, but-

"Are you two just going to lie there all day or are you going to get back to work?"

Dr Bailey stepped over them, and stalked off, muttering something about stupid doctors acting like children.

"Yeah, Wilson, get off. You're crushing me."

Blushing furiously, she rolled off him, using the ground to push herself up until she could stand. Dusting herself off, she stuck out a hand to help him up.

"Yeah, well, it wasn't exactly a picnic for me either." She shot back, in a poor attempt to save face.

It didn't work.

Embarrassed, and wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible, she collected her files hurriedly, and rushed off in the opposite direction to the one she needed to go, with only a tiny scrap of dignity remaining.

It was karaoke night at Joe's, and seeing as her singing was as unfortunate as her lack of grace, she'd planned to avoid the bar that night. But she hadn't taken into account the fact that she'd horribly embarrass herself and end up needing something to dull the memory.

That something was beer, and lots of it.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw him enter the bar. She shouldn't have been surprised- it was directly opposite the hospital, and notoriously popular with the doctors who worked there- but she couldn't help but die a little more inside with shame.

Praying he wouldn't come over, she ordered another round, only for him to slip into the chair beside her. She groaned, and he looked at her with surprise.

"What's eating you, princess?"

She looked at him disbelievingly.

"Seriously? _Seriously_?"

Joe the bartender backed away in the pretence of serving another customer. Probably a wise decision.

"I was on top of you. And I didn't get up straight away. And people _saw_. Which means now there are all sorts of rumours that I purposely set out to avoid. Plus, things are going to be weird between us now, right? I might as well have slept with you."

**A/N: So, this is going to continue into the next chapter. I have no idea what's going to happen, because I normally just sit down with my laptop and write, so if you have any suggestions put it in the reviews, or message me on tumblr ( .com). Thanks to Chanel5, I'm now thinking about introducing Jason into the story, but I'm still not sure if I should, so let me know what you think about that too please. Finally, I'm thinking about a Mer/Alex chapter, because I love them together and the opportunity is too good to let it slip away. Plus, Meredith is the biggest Jolex shipper ever (next to Camilla). **

**This is getting longer than I thought it would.**

**Burcu, you're still a loser, I'm sorry baby. Fiona, you didn't review so I'm still taking away your Krispy Kreme cup because they're gross anyway and Dunkin Donuts forever. Annie, you're a queen, that is all. Em, you gem (I had to), SWChika, I live, eat, and breathe sass, thank you! Chanel5, you're an absolute star and I intend to read some of your Jolex fics later, KiariWill, no, you're amazing, okay? SSAmolloy7, your review actually made my day, you absolute sweetheart.**

**Keep reviewing and I love you all 3**


	4. Blame It On The Alcohol

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, very unfortunately. If I did, I'd make sure Camilla Luddington twerking in a ball gown got filmed.**

He put his drink down on the bar, staring at her.

"You're an idiot."

She responded with a glare, and he quickly amended his statement.

"Let me finish, princess. You need to get it into your little intern head that people don't care about what you do as much as you think. This isn't daddy's mansion, and you're not the star of this show. This is Seattle Grace Mercy _Death_. You think one stupid fall on top of your boss even comes close to making hot gossip around this place?"

She stayed silent for a moment, weighing up her options. She could be pissed off that he thought she considered herself that important. She could turn on the waterworks. Sure, they'd be fake, but he wouldn't know that.

In the end she decided to simply take his words for what they were, and be relieved that things weren't as bad as she'd thought.

"Shut up."

"Nice comeback, princess."

_unchartedterritoryunchartedterritoryunchartedterri tory_

He bought her a drink.

And another.

Then she bought him one.

Before long, they were both past the point where they could be considered sober. He'd attempted karaoke (badly), and was in the midst of convincing her to take a turn.

"Nooo, Alex." She slurred slightly, laughing at his poor attempt at puppy dog eyes. At some point during the night they'd graduated to a first-name basis.

Ten minutes later they brought the house down with a joint rendition of Beyoncé's 'Single Ladies.' After that, they didn't have to pay for their drinks anymore.

_unchartedterritoryunchartedterritoryunchartedterri tory_

Her head hurt. Scratch that, everything hurt. She was disorientated as hell and starving to boot. She stuck one arm out of the covers, eyes shut tight, struggling to find a purchase on something she could use to pull herself up with.

She was never drinking again.

Her hand hit something warm, and she withdrew suddenly. Stupid. _Stupid. _She'd gotten drunk off her ass and brought some strange guy home, right? Alex had probably gone home with that blonde who was eyeing him all evening.

She sat up, yawned, and attempted to open her eyes. Mistake.

Light streamed in from all angles, blinding her. She moaned, covering her eyes and rolling back into the covers, hitting the body beside her in the process. A familiar mumbling sounded.

She couldn't place it, but it must be someone from the hospital. Fanfreakingtastic. Someone else she'd have to avoid for the remainder of her career. She toyed with the idea of just leaving, but she had to know. Slowly, she opened her eyes, and glanced over.

_unchartedterritoryunchartedterritoryunchartedterri tory_

She got dressed, and mentally prepared herself for the walk of shame. Last night's clothes didn't look so hot this morning.

Praying that any roommates he had would be at work or fast asleep, she crept silently down the stairs. With any luck, she'd get out of here without bumping into anyone else and humiliating herself further. If she heard movements upstairs, she was making a run for it.

The door was just across the room. She was going to make it. She was-

"What do you think you're _doing_, Hairball?"

**A/N: So, this is going to continue into the next chapter. This time, I actually have some semblance of an idea of what's going to happen in the next few chapters, but if you have any suggestions put it in the reviews, or message me on tumblr ( .com). I've decided not to introduce Jason, for many reasons and not just because Annie threatened to kill me. **

**This is getting longer than I thought it would.**

**Burcu, you're totally not a loser. Promise. Annie darling, you just keep getting scarier, your murder plots make my day as long as I'm not the intended target. Juliana, you're such a sweetheart. Maggie, thanks for the suggestion, I'll definitely think about it. Keep them coming, okay? SSAmolloy7, ily, that review made me blush, you perfect thing you. Finally, Chanel5. I checked out the fic, and as expected it was great. I'm going to leave a review there now. Make sure to check it out, everyone.**


	5. Trouble Is A Friend

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, very unfortunately. If I did, I'd make sure Camilla Luddington twerking in a ball gown got filmed.**

She froze. Of anyone she could have bumped into, it had to be Yang. Of _course_.

She spun around to face the attending, gesturing towards the door. "I was just, uh, leaving."

Yang's eyes narrowed. "You're not going anywhere. Do you know how much of a mess you and Evil Spawn made last night? A lot. You're staying to clean up."

Jo looked over Yang's shoulder. The living room looked as advertised. Empty beer bottles were strewn everywhere, and for some reason all the cushions had been pulled from the couch.

Yang looked at her in distaste. "Like I said, you're not going anywhere, Hairball. Alex is going to be hungover as hell, and I'm not taking care of him. So, march yourself upstairs, wake him up, and clean up your crap."

She prayed furiously for a way out of this mess. "Work. I have to... work."

"No, you don't. You told anyone who'd listen last night how happy you were that you didn't have to work until this afternoon. And," She checked her watch. "It's only a little after eleven. So, intern, what's the rush?"

The attending eyed her suspiciously for a moment, before breaking out into a smirk. "Oh, this is too good. You think you slept with Alex, don't you? That's why you're sneaking out right now when you're clearly not feeling your best. Not that that's surprising. You had a lot to drink last night."

She raised her eyebrows. "Anyway, Hairball, sorry to tell you this- and I really am, because I'd enjoy seeing you uncomfortable- but you and Evil Spawn didn't do the deed last night. Alex may not be a gentleman by any stretch of the word, but he usually requires his victims to at least be conscious. When you passed out last night, after one too many during a particularly interesting round of truth or dare, he carried you upstairs to bed."

Jo covered her face with her hands. She did bad things while drunk. Stupid things. God knows what she'd let slip last night, but at least she hadn't slept with him.

She heard footsteps coming down the stairs, and uncovered her eyes just in time to see Alex appear. He looked about as bad as she felt, and she grimaced.

"Shut up."

"I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to."

Yang looked on, amused. There was no way she was passing up this opportunity.

"Hairball thought you guys slept together."

He smirked. "Listen, princess, if we'd slept together, you'd remember it."

**A/N: Don't hate me, okay? Jolex will happen. Give it time, I have a plan. But, if you have any suggestions put it in the reviews, or message me on tumblr ( .com). I'll be introducing a temporary character in the next few chapters, a woman, so name suggestions would be appreciated.**

**Burcu, I am still valiantly resisting the urge to call you a loser, darling. Annie, me? Afraid of you? Hardly. Not introducing Jason is all part of the master plan. SSAmolloy7, I think I love you, you should see the faces I make writing this. Chanel5, thank you so much for the consistent reviews, you're a sweetheart. KiariWill, one of your favourites, really? You're making me blush.**

**Thank you all, expect an update soon. **


	6. The Denial Twist

**Disclaimer: If I owned Grey's, I'd have a yacht. Or at least a box set of season nine.**

**A/N: Okay, this chapter is set a few weeks after the last one.**

She spotted him across the cafeteria, sitting alone at a table devouring enough food for a small army. She made her way over, unable to resist an opportunity to tease him.

"Look at you, Mr Popular. Where's the fan club?"

"Shut up. Don't you have like, two friends?" He raised an eyebrow in her direction. "And I'm one of them. That's bordering on pathetic, princess."

"Three, actually. Which is one more than you." She shot back. "And if you call me pathetic again, you're buying the beer for tonight."

He sighed. "I meant to tell you. I'm having drinks with the new scrub nurse tonight."

"No, you're not." She replied easily. "Katherine? I actually like her, you know." She looked at him distastefully. "And she's only good scrub nurse still willing to work with you. If you screw her over and never call her ba-"

"It's not like that."

"Of course it is. Alex, I meant it. This is a dumbass move." She helped herself to a slice of his pizza.

"It's a date."

"What?" She nearly choked on the stolen food.

"You heard me."

"I did. But I thought I heard wrong. A _date_? As in, a proper date?" A sinking feeling she couldn't describe set in. She brushed it off, deciding it was just disappointment at spending her night off alone. Or maybe it was the crappy hospital food.

"Don't make a bigger deal out of this than it is, okay? It's just drinks. She's hot and fun and not terrible at her job, and maybe I'm getting tired of the whole wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am routine."

She stole a look at him. He seemed mildly offended, and she decided that just this once, maybe the best course of action would be to drop it.

"Okay, fine. I'll make plans with Stephanie or someone."

"Tomorrow night, princess. We'll watch Die Hard and you can tell me how much you missed me."

"Missed you? More like sick of you." She retorted. "I see you every day at the hospital, idiot. Maybe a night off will do me good."

He smirked. "Well, if you change your mind, you have my number."

"You really are a douche. Being your friend is basically ruining my life."

"I've heard that before."

"I bet. At least your new girlfriend might put a stop to the betting pool as to when we're going to sleep together."

"She's not my girlfriend." He corrected. "And was that optimism, princess? Who slipped you some happy pills?"

She frowned. "I can be optimistic."

"No, you can't." He informed her. "Unsurprising, really. Must have been a shock to the system to come from daddy's mansion to being a glorified scut monkey here."

She was going to tell him. Soon.

"Jerk."

"By the way, stop stealing my pizza. Put that inheritance to good use and buy your own."

**A/N:Did I just put another spanner into the Jolex works? Yes. I think I did. But don't fear, my dears, it'll happen. If you have any suggestions put it in the reviews, or message me on tumblr ( .com). **

**Burcu, I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you. Or have Annie do it. I'm sure she'd be only too happy to. SSAmolloy7, kisses back, and lots of them. SWChika, thank you, darling! Chanel5, I finally left a review. Don't hate me for taking so long, please! And I'm glad you thought it was in character. I tend to play Jo more because she's quite like me, and I'm always worried I'm not writing Alex right. Annie, you're making me blush. Stop it. KiariWill, you seriously know how to compliment a girl, thank you.**

**Thank you all, expect an update soon. **


	7. Dirty Little Secret

**Disclaimer: No, I don't own Grey's. Their loss. *ugly sob***

"Move your fat ass over."

She glared at him, but did as requested. "Jerk. I'll have you know my proportions are perfectly within range."

"Within range of what, an elephant?" Alex fired back, taking his place on the couch next to her and balancing the bowl of popcorn between them.

"I'm going to ignore that, in favour of taking the higher moral ground."

He smirked. "How mature of you."

"Thank you. And, as a reflection of that maturity, I'm going to get up and turn on the D.V.D. player because you forgot." She stood up and bent down to press the button. "You better not be checking out my ass."

"You wish, princess."

It had been a long day. She'd been screamed at, thrown up on, and made to fetch countless coffees. She was sleep-deprived, hadn't gotten to scrub in on a single surgery, and worst of all, the bank was threatening to increase her loan payments. There was no way she could afford it. The nickname was the final straw.

"Stop calling me princess." She snapped.

"Woah, what's the matter? Daddy cut you off?"

"I don't _have_ a dad, stupid."

"That's a little harsh, don't you think? What'd he do, refuse to buy you a pony?"

"I'm serious. I don't have a dad. Or a mother. They dropped me off at a fire station when I was two weeks old. I got bumped around foster homes until I was sixteen when I took matters into my own hands and started living out of a car. I parked it behind the gym of my school so I could sneak in and use the showers before class. The Home Ec. teacher, Mrs Schmitt, she let me do my laundry there for free. I'm no princess, Alex. I'm about as far from it as you can possibly get."

She looked at the floor, wishing she hadn't said anything. Had she just ruined the only healthy friendship she'd ever had? Even if he didn't refuse to have anything more to do with her then and there, he'd look at her differently. She'd get some spiel about how it didn't matter that she was a dumpster diving orphan, and the pity in his eyes would just about kill her.

Jo mentally braced herself for the onslaught.

It didn't come.

Instead, he passed her a beer and offered her the bowl of popcorn.

"Pity. You would've looked hot in a crown."

He pressed play on the remote.

**A/N: You guys are way too good to me. The reviews are making me blush. If you have any suggestions put it in the reviews, or message me on tumblr ( .com). **

**SSAmolloy7, your reviews always make me smile, you perfect thing. Annie, don't freak, Jolex will happen. Eventually. Patience, darling. Burcu, I know that, I had the idea because you, stupid. Love you too, you loser (the three and a half days are up).**

**Thank you all, expect an update soon. **


	8. Damn Girl

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. I'm a poor little exam student who thrives on reviews. **

Meredith Grey wasn't nosy. Most of the time, she just didn't care about the personal lives of other people, but there were a select few that she considered _her _people, and she was willing to make an exception for them, and get involved when the occasion arose.

Alex Karev was one of those people, and this was one of those times.

She found him crashing in one of the on-call rooms, thankfully alone for once. Lately, he seemed to be joined at the hip with Wilson, but for today, luck was on her side. This was a conversation they needed to have alone. She wasted no time throwing the unlocked door open and strolling into the room.

"Alex. There you are. Good."

"Mere? What the hell are you doing?" He sat upright, rubbing his eyes. "I could have had a chick in here, or something."

"I could hear you snoring from outside the room." She took a seat at the end of the bed, ignoring his glare.

"Shut up."

Never one to beat around the bush, Meredith got right into it. "Alex, what are you doing?"

"Uh, sleeping? Or trying to, at least." He replied groggily.

"You can go back to sleep soon. Just hear me out," she promised. "What exactly are you doing with that scrub nurse?"

"God, not you too. Jo was on about her yesterday, and now you-"

"You're being an idiot." She interrupted.

"What, I can't change? I can't date nice, normal girls?" Even though he was still half-asleep, Alex was beginning to get a bit pissed off.

Meredith rolled her eyes at him, undeterred. "Not what I meant. I saw you guys yesterday. On your 'date'. You looked...bored. Hardly second date material."

"She's not that bad." He defended.

"I'm sure she isn't. But I've seen you with that intern."

"Jo?" Alex stalled for time. Like he didn't know where this was going. He'd heard the rumours, knew what people thought. But he'd assumed Meredith was above all that.

"See, you even call her by her first name." She pointed out.

"She's just a friend."

"Right. Then please explain to me why, whenever I come to visit Cristina, you two are staring into each other's eyes like long-lost lovers?"

"Shut up, we do not. She's like...a sister. We do things like drink beer and hang out. The Twisted Sisters are twisting things, yet again."

Meredith hit him on the shoulder. "Alex, I am trying to look _out_ for you, not that you're making it very easy for me. You like Wilson. She clearly likes you. What's the big deal?"

"I like Katherine."

"No, you don't."

"Fine. But I don't like Wilson either."

"Oh, it's Wilson now, is it?" she asked innocently, inwardly delighted she'd made him slip up.

"She's an intern." Alex pointed out, disgruntled.

"It didn't stop Derek and me."

**A/N: Meredith/Alex = brotp. So yeah, I brought back the scrub nurse. If you have any suggestions put it in the reviews, or message me on tumblr. I use the same username as I have on here, j0karev. **

**Major love to Aoife, Chanel, Burcu, and Annie.**


	9. Sour Cherry

**Disclaimer: Still penniless and crying over your lovely reviews.**

"I'm _very_ drunk." she confided, whispering in his ear as though this was a state secret.

"I know."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Alex wasn't supposed to be here. But then, neither was she. He should have been at work, cursing his luck at having to pull a double shift and counting down the hours until he could leave, and she should have been at home, asleep.

But she was here, and so was he.

He had begun his night shift after spending the few hours he meant to spend sleeping mulling over what Meredith had said to him. In the beginning, he'd been just plain pissed off. She was his friend, she of all people should understand that anything being said about him and Jo was just a rumour.

And then he had realised that maybe it wasn't her fault. They _were_ spending a freakin lot of time together, and people started to notice. It was unusual for interns and attending to even talk to one another outside of work, let alone drink and hang out.

He'd intended to tell her that from now on they should probably just stick to seeing each other at work. He couldn't afford to get sued, and people alluding that she was a surgery whore made his stomach turn and his fists clench. When she was around, a part of him was always on edge. Somehow, around her, things he'd been careful to keep hidden for so long slipped out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

Long story short, Alex Karev was acting like a little bitch and removing himself from the situation before nothing became something and another crazy chick bulldozed through the facade he'd spent a long time putting together.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Needless to say, he'd been... distracted at work.

He tried to justify it. The constant rumours were pissing him off, the idea that he featured in yet another betting pool was just freakin irritating, she was better off without claims of favouritism.

Robbins had sent him home after he failed to find a decent vein after poking some poor kid with a needle for what must have been the seventh time.

She'd said she was going home, so he thought going to the bar would be...the only word that came to mind was _safe_, as if she was a ticking time bomb and he was ducking for cover. And then he came in and the first thing he saw was her dancing on a table, clearly well past tipsy and surrounded by guys, unsurprisingly all offering to buy her another drink.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

It took him all of two seconds to decide what to do. Alex Karev was no gentleman, but he wasn't going to leave his...intern drunk out of her mind and surrounded by creeps.

"Clear off," he ordered. "This is my...girlfriend. My girlfriend, yeah."

The word sounded strange coming from him, but not entirely unpleasant.

Most of them scattered, and he managed to get rid of the rest with a look that in guy code meant _I'm about to punch your face in if you don't move now._

He glanced up at her, still standing on the table, an amused expression covering her face.

"Get down from there, idiot. You're going to get yourself killed."

"No." She laughed, the entire world one big joke to her in her current state. But then, even sober Jo enjoyed pissing him off. "Make me, boyfriend."

She was stubborn. It was a quality he simultaneously found engaging and hated with a passion. Unfortunately, it meant there was no way she was getting down from the table unless he did as she requested.

So, with a sigh (there was no way he was enjoying this), he wrapped his arms around her legs and hoisted her off the table. She looked at him disapprovingly. "You're supposed to be at work."

"And you're supposed to be at home, princess." he shot back. "Why are you here, anyway? None of your kiss-ass intern friends are."

"Touché." She smirked. "Buy me another drink, and maybe I'll tell you."

He was just now noticing that, even with alcohol on her breath and smeared make up, she was kind of hot.

And by kind of, he meant insanely.

"I think you've had enough."

"Party pooper."

He scowled, and got up. "If you're going to insult me, I'm leaving." He wasn't serious, but he was willing to place a bet that she wouldn't be able to tell in her inebriated state.

He was right. Her face fell suddenly, and only for a moment, but he recognised that look. It was a Karev special, the kind where he was internally screaming for help and externally the life of the party.

"Don't go." she whispered.

"Your wish is my command, princess."

Almost instantly, she brightened.

"Tell me about your real girlfriend." She was slurring slightly, but Alex was almost proud of her enunciation, considering the amount of shot glasses he could see lined up on the counter in front of the stool where her coat lay.

He'd have told her anything she wanted to hear to keep her from drinking her pain away, even if he'd never admit it to himself.

"Tell you what, Hairball, I'l-"

She groaned loudly. "Not you too."

He glared at her. "As I was saying before you so rudely interrupted me, I'll tell you what happened with the scrub nurse if you tell me why you're not in bed right now."

She considered the trade seriously.

"Deal." To seal the pact, she stuck out her hand for him to shake. It was warm, and surprisingly, she had quite the grip.

He had to hand it to her. The girl knew how to hold her liquor.

"She was boring."

"So you won't be calling her?"

"I won't be calling her." He confirmed.

"You're screwed. No other nurse will work with you. But..." she paused. "At least you'll have time to spend with me."

"You really _are_ drunk, aren't you?"

"Yes."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Somehow she persuaded him into having a drink of his own, and then another, but he was still far from the state she'd worked herself into, and nowhere near close to forgetting about her side of the deal.

"Spill."

She feigned confusion, hoping to buy herself some time.

"You know what I mean."

He was hit with puppy dog eyes next.

"Nice try."

The grand finale began as fat tears fell from her eyes.

"You showed me you could make yourself cry last week."

"Shit."

**A/N: My longest chapter yet, oh my god I need to study. Anyways, shit is going to get real in the next chapter. I suggest not reading this on a handheld device as I'm too poor to pay for repairs. If you have any suggestions put it in the reviews, or message me on tumblr. I use the same username as I have on here, j0karev. **

**Major love to Aoife, Burcu, Chanel, and Annie.**


	10. Pretty Little Liar

**Disclaimer: Still penniless and studying instead of being Shonda.**

Alex looked worried, and she didn't understand why. The liquor made her feel lighter than air. She was soaring high above her now seemingly insignificant problems, and Alex seemed determined to pull her down and make her face them.

"You know the deal, princess. I told you mine, now you tell me yours."

She decided to try one last diversionary tactic.

Vodka always had made her flirty.

"How about we make a new deal? I show you mine, and you show me yours." She leaned closer, face inches away from his, her breath tickling his ear.

As tempting as the offer was, Alex summoned the last of his willpower to refuse it.

"Your breath is toxic. Get away from me." He pulled a disgusted face.

She shrugged. "Your loss, baby."

He couldn't help but grin internally. Plastered or not, Jo was acting like her old self again.

"Come on, tell me. It can't be that bad."

She pouted. "No."

She was acting like a child. He could have called her out on it, made fun of her, but something stopped him. Her childhood had been hard, not unlike his, and life wasn't much easier for her now. Tonight, she got to let loose a little. He'd just make sure she didn't do anything stupid.

"New deal, princess."

"I'm listening." She raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"Tell me what's up, and I'll buy you a drink." He paused. "But you're going first this time."

Jo considered the offer. "No."

"No?" He was beginning to get pissed off now. If this was what he got for trying to help, he wouldn't be attempting it again anytime soon.

She gave him a coy look. "You owe me a drink...and a dance."

"A...dance." He repeated slowly, stalling. As if delaying the process would make it any more bearable.

"Is your hearing going downhill, old man?" She enquired, mock concern covering her face.

"Shut up. I'm not old."

"Your wrinkles beg to differ."

"Fine." Alex looked as if the very thought of it was enough to cause him physical pain. "One dance. If only to prove that I am still in my prime."

Jo disguised her laugh as a cough.

He scowled at her. "Tell me what has your panties in a bunch."

"You, Alex. My knickers twist solely for you."

He choked. She smirked, obviously pleased beyond belief with herself.

"Does alcohol always make you this..." He searched for a word that meant slutty but wouldn't leave him with a bruise. "Flirty?"

"Always." She nodded seriously.

"This is sexual harassment."

She looked mildly amused. "You should see me after a bottle of wine."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

Alex was becoming increasingly aware that in this state, there was no way he could force her to tell him. He crossed his arms, ordering another beer, and prepared to wait her out.

He didn't have to wait long. The alcohol had given her the attention span of a goldfish. She smiled one of her typical smiles, the one that seemed to say that he didn't know her at all. And maybe she was right, but for whatever reason, he wanted to. He knew she wanted to tell him, and maybe that was why it made him so angry to think that she couldn't.

"Tell me, Jo. Freaking tell me! I can't take your little games anymore, and I can't help unle-"

"It's my birthday." she said quietly.

After that, she didn't want to dance anymore, so he took her home.

**A/N: I still need to study. Help. The next chapter is going to be pretty long, and you'll be happy and sad if I'm any sort of writer at all. It's going to be set at the frat house. I have the next chapter or so plotted out, but if you have any suggestions put it in the reviews, or message me on tumblr. I use the same username as I have on here, j0karev. **

**Major love to Aoife, Burcu, Chanel, Vivian, SWChika and Annie for reviewing.**


	11. Takes One To Know Me

**Disclaimer: I think we all know what I'd do with Grey's if I owned it.**

She refused to look at him when they got into the car, staring straight ahead of her instead. Alex started the engine wordlessly, but they didn't make it far before he couldn't take it any longer.

"I know you don't want to talk about it."

She scowled. "You've got that right."

"Look, princess, I understand what you're going throu-"

Her eyes narrowed. "Oh, do you?" she interrupted. "Today is my birthday, Alex. Except it might not be. I don't _know_. And even if it was, if by some miracle I managed to pick the right one, then it's even worse. Because I am completely alone. I don't have _anyone_. So you can take your understanding and shove it up your ass, because you don't have a _clue_ what I'm going through."

He stared at her. She'd gotten pissed off at him before, obviously. He wasn't exactly easy to get along with. But he'd never seen her this angry before. And he completely understood why. Alex was the first to admit he had a temper, but what riled him up the most was people who'd lived sheltered lives claiming to understand him.

He pulled into the frat house driveway, his hands clenching into the steering wheel a lot more tightly than they needed to be. Jo followed him inside, face apologetic. "Look, Alex. I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm still kind of drunk, and I-"

"Stop apologising." He took his usual place on the couch, pulling his feet up beside him. She hovered at the edge, unsure whether or not he wanted her to sit down.

"No." she insisted.

"God, you're stubborn."

She smiled. "Took you this long to figure it out, huh?"

He sighed, patting the couch space beside him. "Sit down, princess."

For once, she did as he asked.

He sighed, resigning himself to reliving his past. "You're not the only one who ever had a crappy childhood, you know."

"God, Alex. You think I don't know that?"

"That's not what I meant. Jo, I am _trying_ to tell you something here, but I can't if you're going to keep interrupting me." He told her, exasperated.

Jo opened her mouth, looking as if she wanted to say something, and then shut it abruptly, deciding better of it.

"I know what you're going through because I've been there. Foster homes, juvy, you name it." Once he started, he couldn't stop. He told her about his mom, his dad, his brother and sister. Things he'd never told another living soul.

She listened. She felt guilty for snapping at him. Most of all, she felt angry- at social services, for shunting him around like lost property, at his deadbeat father, for not being the kind of dad Alex needed, at herself, for not realising. It wasn't hard to guess that his past hadn't been...ideal, but Alex was the only person she'd ever met who put up as many walls as she did, and breaking them down was next to impossible.

She wanted to tell him that she understood, that she was sorry, but she didn't know how. Instead, she put an arm around him, leaning her head against her shoulder.

He glanced at her, clearly amused by this rare display of affection. Jo was sincerely glad Yang wasn't home.

"Happy birthday, princess."

She kissed him.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

She wasn't sure what she expected to come of the kiss, but he was reciprocating, and she took that as a good sign.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

At some point, they manoeuvred their way into lying down on the couch, him on top of her. They broke apart for air, and she smirked at the sight of his hair, which defied gravity by sticking out at several different angles.

"And I thought it was only girls who had to deal with sex hair."

"I think I can pull it off."

"You can."

This time, it was him who initiated the kiss.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

She made to pull off his shirt, but he stopped her.

"You know you're not- this isn't-"

She was torn between watching him stutter his way through reassuring her she wasn't his skank of the week and putting him out of his misery.

"I know."

"Good. But it's crazy, you know? Earlier I was planning on telling you we should spend less time together, and now..." He smirked, leaning down to kiss her again and pulling at her shirt to expose her stomach.

The two seconds he got before she pushed him off were like making out with an ice sculpture.

Her voice was dangerously quiet. "And now sex is on the table, you want me back in your life again?"

Crap.

"No, that's not what I meant-"

"Get _off_ of me."

He rolled off the couch. "C'mon, princess, let me explain."

She didn't.

**A/N: Don't hate me please. Jolex will happen. Eventually. I have the next chapter or so plotted out, but if you have any suggestions put it in the reviews, or message me on tumblr. I use the same username as I have on here, j0karev. **

**Major love to Aoife, Burcu, simranchhugani, Em, FictionFan01, and Annie for reviewing. You guys make my day, seriously.**


	12. He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

**Disclaimer: Hahaha, I wish.**

Cristina Yang was a woman on a mission. Bursting through the front door of the frat house, she surveyed the living room with distaste. For some reason, Alex had seen fit to throw his jacket on the couch. His shoes were sprawled haphazardly on the floor along with his keys and wallet. The place was a mess, and she intended to give Alex hell about it.

Some other time.

For now, she was focussed on getting him out of the house, so she could have some alone time with Owen.

Undeterred, she made her way up the stairs, pushing his door open without warning. She figured that way she'd be more likely to catch him in the act of something he shouldn't be doing. Screwing Hairball, probably.

Fortunately for him, Alex Karev was simply laying on his bed, staring at the ceiling.

Cristina rolled her eyes. "Why so sad, Evil Spawn? Actually, don't answer that. Get Hairball, and get out. Owen's coming over."

It was an unwritten rule that suited them both: Alex had no desire to violate his ears with the sounds of his roommate and her ex-husband in the throes, and Cristina valued her privacy.

He propped himself up on one elbow. "She isn't here, Yang."

She scowled. "Yeah, right. Her jacket's down stairs, and the weather's been awful all week, so unless you expect me to believe she walked out of here without it, get your girlfriend, and get out."

"That's what happened."

She stared disbelievingly at him. "You're not vehemently denying she's your girlfriend. Which means she is. Oh my God, Evil Spawn has a girlfriend. An _intern_ girlfriend."

He frowned. "Stop jumping to conclusions. She's not my girlfriend."

She studied his face for a minute, then moved to sit down on the bed beside him with a sigh. "What did you do, Alex?"

"I screwed up."

"Well, that goes without saying." she replied easily.

Alex was not the kind of person who was in touch with his feelings. That said, neither was Yang. But he knew himself pretty well, and he'd been through this kind of thing before.

"I'm an idiot." He said suddenly. "I love her."

Yang shot him an unimpressed look. "Obviously. We've known for a while now. Mere was supposed to tell you. Didn't she?"

He ignored her. This revelation may not be big news to Yang, but for him, it changed everything. He loved Jo. Of course he did. He didn't know how it had happened, or when, or why he seemed doomed to always fall for the crazy ones, but it had happened, and he was damned if he was letting her get away.

He sat bolt upright, startling his roommate. "I have to go."

She nodded. "That's what I said. Owen's coming over."

"No, stupid. I have to go get her." He jumped up off the bed, making for the stairs.

She followed a safe distance behind. "I really hope we're still talking about Hairball, and not some other crazy chick."

He ignored her sarcasm, grabbing his keys off the counter, and swearing under his breath as realisation hit. "Crap. I can't drive. I had a couple of freakin' beers."

Cristina sighed. Pulling her phone out of her pocket, she tapped out a quick text to her ex-husband.

"_Hairball and Evil Spawn had lover's tiff. Mere isn't here, so I'm stuck dealing with it. Can you come over an hour later? –C_"

"Come on, lover boy. I'll drive you. But only there, mind. You can make your own way back."

Alex grinned. "You know, you're not so bad, Yang."

She rolled her eyes at his poor attempt at thanks. "Whatever."

"Hurry up, then. We need to make a stop on the way."

**A/N: The reason this chapter took so long is because I wanted to try and put more feelings in, but writing them goes against my grain, so I've been putting it off. This was supposed to incorporate him going over to her house too, but I really wanted to get another chapter up tonight, so that'll hopefully happen sometime this weekend. Tons and tons of emotions, I swear. ****Maybe.**

**Reviews = love, people. **

**TWO WEEKS ASDFGH**

**Also, I'm really hoping the producers make up for the utter lack of Jolex in the promos with some serious time in the premiere. Although, we do have Camilla tweeting the occasional photo to pass the time. The girl deserves an award.**

**Guys, your reviews are just perfect. Seriously. Special thanks to Annie, Burcu, Vivian, Chanel, Em, KiariWill, and Guest.**


	13. Desperate Measures

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I'm still waiting just as long as the rest of you to find out what happens. But nine days, guys. **

She was finishing up some charts on her computer when she heard the knock at her door. If it had been any other day, she'd have been only too pleased to get away from the mind-numbing task and see what was up, but very few people knew where she lived, and all of them knew her well enough to know when something was up.

Her day hadn't gone well. Alex usually gave her a lift into work, seeing as he passed her apartment most days, and this morning she'd neglected to allow extra time to make her own way in. Somewhere along the line she'd gotten complacent and forgotten that, more often than not, buses in Seattle ran on whatever schedule they felt like. Needless to say, she'd been late, and naturally she'd been allocated to Bailey's service. She got a ticking off she'd never forget and scut had been on her agenda for the entire day.

That wasn't to to mention the hangover from hell she'd been cursed with, and the not-so-subtle glances that had been directed at her all day and the whispers that came to an abrupt halt whenever she entered the room.

She couldn't recall exactly what had happened in Joe's last night, but it was apparent it hadn't been good.

Jo sighed loudly. Unfortunately, every detail of what had happened after she left the bar seemed to be permanently ingrained in her mind. There was no reprieve from the tidal wave of memories that plagued her every time she wasn't completely distracted. The feel of his skin on hers, the smell of his shampoo, the-

Another knock, firmer and more insistent than the previous one resounded through her living room.

She glared at the door, as if that would make whoever it was give up and go home. She wanted to be by herself, to not have to hide the black cloud that was currently consuming her from the inside out behind the pretence of a smile. Comforting herself with the thought that they'd realise she wasn't home or didn't want to be bothered sooner or later, she resumed her typing.

"Come on, Jo. I know you're there. I can hear you tapping away on that crappy computer of yours."

Jo stiffened at the realisation of just who was standing outside her apartment. "No one's home, jerk."

She hated how petulant she sounded. He brought out these feelings in her. He alone had the ability to make her feel like she was carefree and happy one minute, and then turn around and rile her up until she was ready to kill him the next. He could rip her to pieces, and build her back up again. She could never predict what he'd do next. He wouldn't let her tie him down and put him in a box, because how could she? He never stayed still long enough for her to figure him out, and it drove her _crazy_. But he was also the only constant when her world wouldn't stop spinning- or had been.

Jo could hear him fidgeting at her door, but she made no movement to get up and let him in. She was still unbearably mad at him, and besides, he'd insulted her computer.

"I brought you something, princess." He called hopefully through the door.

She ignored him, turning her attention back to the screen once more. She really had to get these notes done tonight, otherwise Bailey would be incredibly pissed at her tomorrow. She still had a lot to do, but th-

"I know you don't want to hear this, because being mad at me is easier, right? I know you, Jo. Which is why I'm going to say something. And you're going to hate me for saying it, because it screws up your perfect plan or whatever, but here it is."

She took a deep breath, and waited.

And waited.

"I don't hear anything." She said finally.

She knew he was rolling his eyes at her impatience on the other side of the door, but instead of responding to it, she hit a few keys at random. Her computer was old, but it made a lot of noise, a handy tool in situations such as this. With any luck, he'd think she'd gone back to her notes.

Alex heard her poor attempt at feigning disinterest, but decided to let her get away with it. It wasn't in his best interests to piss her off right now, but she of all people should know how hard this was for him.

"Just- crap. Jo. I- you know?"

She shook her head on the other side of the door. If apologising was this hard for him, there was no way she was letting him get away with it. It was more fun watching him struggle. Besides, it was kind of nice to know he was willing to go through with it if it meant rekindling their friendship.

"No, I don't know." She called from where she sat on the couch, grinning to herself. If he kept it up for much longer, she might be inclined to put him out of his misery, but-

"I love you."

For a moment, he wasn't sure she'd heard him, because he could hear nothing from her side.

For her part, Jo was in shock. At first, she tried to convince herself that she'd misheard him, because he couldn't- there was no way- he didn't- but with each passing second, she grew more sure that he hadn't stuttered or mispronounced a key word.

When realisation hit, she flew up from the couch as if she'd been burned, but stopped, paralysed, at the door, pressing her head against it for a second and just breathing in the moment, because when she opened that door, there was no way around it: for better or worse, everything would change.

And in her case, it was usually for the worse.

Like a band-aid, she reassured herself, and ripped the door open, as if that would make it hurt less. She was lying to herself. If he went along with this charade, if he pretended he loved her, she'd never forgive him. She couldn't.

Alex was taken aback when the door flew open, and even more so when the girl he'd just professed his love for –not very eloquently, sure, but it was the thought that counted, right?- glared at him. She seemed angry, and he had no idea why, but he suspected it was just a cover. There was something else in her eyes too, but he had no time to dwell on it before she prodded him in the chest.

Hard.

"No, you don't." she insisted.

_Fear_. That was it. She was scared, which made absolutely no sense to Alex. The girl was a mystery wrapped in an enigma to him most of the time, but right now she was acting freakin' crazy. Didn't she know there was no reason to be scared? Didn't she _know_ there was absolutely nothing he wouldn't do to make her happy?

He put his hands on her shoulders and looked her dead in the eyes. "Look, Jo. I know I haven't always given you the impression that you should trust me, but I'm asking you to." He paused, hoping the right words would somehow come to him. "Just- believe me when I say that- I. Love. You."

She stared at him uncomprehendingly, repeating his words as if doing so would help her to understand. "You love me."

He rolled his eyes at her. "Yeah. God knows why." She laughed in response, a real one, the kind Alex was willing to kill for if it meant he could hear it again.

He was pretty sure if left to her own devices she'd happily stand out in the hall all night staring at him and questioning the sincerity of his claim, and while he'd have done it quite happily if he thought it'd help it sink in, it was getting cold.

He picked her up bridal style and carried her into her apartment, shutting the door behind him. Jo narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. "You still love me?"

He nodded, exasperated, and laid her down on the couch. She broke out into a smile again.

"While I'm glad you're not mad anymore, the smiling is getting a bit creepy. You're not normally this...perky."

She swatted him with a pillow. "Well, a girl can only be so happy when she spends all her time around you."

He smirked at her. "Whatever. Still, you're not mad anymore, right?"

Were her eyes deceiving her, or did she detect a trace of worry in his tone? Jo filed that particular piece of knowledge away for future reference so she could use it when he pissed her off.

"Depends on what you brought me."

He dug into the bag and produced a cake. She inspected it worriedly. It was chocolate, but it didn't seem to be burned or inedible, and it smelled okay too.

"Did you...make this?" She asked carefully.

A look of guilt flashed over his face. "Uh...no."

Jo bit back a laugh. She'd seen him bake before, or rather, attempt to. It wasn't pretty, and she'd only asked to make sure she wasn't going to get salmonella from the damned thing.

"Probably for the best."

He nodded agreeably.

"So, princess, does this mean we're good?"

She considered him. She'd never had a birthday cake before. Probably her own fault, really. No one had thought to give her own growing up, but she'd purposely kept the date to herself at the hospital, and buying one for herself was pretty depressing. So, for her at least, the cake was a big deal. And then, of course, there was the whole declaration of love thing. That was pretty nice too.

"I have one more condition."

Alex looked confused until she reached out and petted the screen of her computer lovingly.

"No more insulting my computer."

She stuck out a hand for him to shake and he took it begrudgingly.

"You've got yourself a deal, princess."

**A/N: This chapter took a while, I know, but it was pretty long, and I finally allowed the two of them to be happy together, so I get points for that, right?**

**Reviews = love, people. **

**NINE DAYS ASDFGH**

**Guys, your reviews are just perfect. Seriously. Special thanks to Annie, Burcu, Vivian, Chanel, Em, Aoife, kasiekk26, and Leah. Love you all to death.**


	14. Something Good Can Work

**Disclaimer: Oh wow, I wish. **

The hospital was always a magical place for her. She was an intern- being a doctor was still fresh, still new. Each procedure was exciting, and even though she'd spent hours poring over the theory behind them, a textbook couldn't come close to the reality, and every time she shrugged on that white coat it was a reminder that, against the odds, she'd made it.

Today was...different. She loved the hospital, she did, but at five in the morning she needed a strong cup coffee to remind her of that love. This morning, she wasn't late, as such, but she didn't step into the hospital until half past six, and she bypassed the coffee cart altogether. She didn't need it. She was floating, she was walking on air, she was-

She was being pulled into a closet by two hands with an iron-clad grip on her shoulders.

Jo had been a street kid, and the things she'd learned were ingrained in her. In the split second before she turned around, her heart hammered loudly in her chest, but she stamped down on her attacker's foot, hard, and poised her elbow to jab them in the stomach.

"Stephanie?" she hissed. "You idiot. I could have-"

Her friend stared back at her. "I know. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, but- what the hell was that?"

Jo sighed. "Nothing. That was...nothing. Just don't grab me like that again, okay?" She smiled in what she hoped was a reassuring manner, intending to convince her friend she wasn't some sort of paranoid violence-enthusiast.

Stephanie's eyes were wide, but she nodded. "Yeah. 'Course. Sorry."

Jo rolled her eyes and turned to leave, talking over her shoulder at her fellow intern. "Look, I have to go find out whose service I'm on, an-"

Stephanie placed a solitary hand on her shoulder once more, this time a lot more cautious and apprehensive, suddenly remembering the original purpose of grabbing her friend. "I wouldn't do that, if I were you."

"Crap. Is Medusa on the war path? Because I'm not technically late, I know I'm normally in an hour or so earlier, but-"

Her friend eyed her up suspiciously. "No, it's not that. I have to get back to work too, and so do you, but before you do..." She laughed, digging in her pocket and pulling out a beige tube. "I'd sort out that giant hickey on your neck." She tossed her the container and made for the door. "I want details later, Wilson."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

His pager went off halfway through what couldn't really be called a lunch nutrition-wise, but was better than nothing. Besides, Alex was pretty sure most of what was served in the cafeteria contained more chemicals than vitamins, and he'd given up eating that green crap after the shooting anyway. Still, he wasn't very disappointed when he had to dump the contents of his tray in the nearest trash can to go find out what was up in Room 212.

He was even less disappointed when he opened the door of the room and the person he'd been thinking about all day flung herself at him. They kissed for what felt like seconds, but must have been minutes, before the need for oxygen broke them apart.

He eyed her suspiciously. She looked flustered- her hair was everywhere, her cheeks were red, but she looked gorgeous. "Is this a booty call, princess?"

She swatted him on the arm. "You wish, jerk. I meant to yell a bit about that 'present' you left on my neck which I almost showed off to the entire hospital, but then I got...distracted."

He smirked. "I'm sure you'll find some way to get your revenge."

"Oh yes. My dark gifts are still in working order. I'd watch your back, Karev."

**A/N: This chapter took a while, I know, but it was really more of a filler chapter. I have a really good idea for the next chapter, which will be up really soon. I have prom tomorrow, but hopefully this weekend.**

**Reviews = love, people. **

**CAN WE TALK ABOUT THE PROMO FOR TONIGHT'S EPISODE**

**JO**_**SEX**_

**Guys, your reviews are just perfect. Seriously. Special thanks to Annie, Burcu, Vivian, Em, Aoife, kasiekk26, and Leah. Love you all to death.**


	15. Damned If She Do

**Disclaimer: Yes. I am Shonda. Worship me or I'll kill off your favourite character.**

_-A few weeks later-_

She wasn't sure when it had happened. Something had been...different for a while now, but she hadn't been able to pinpoint what it was until this morning. It had crept up on her, kind of like growing up. She never noticed how tall she'd gotten until she looked at a photo from a few years back and realised the difference.

And there was a difference. A few months ago, even the idea of it was laughable to her. She was Jo Wilson, cold as ice street kid. Commitment issues, abandonment issues- she was every shrink's nightmare. Or daydream, depending on which way you looked at it.

She preferred not to dwell on it at all.

Once she realised what had happened, she got scared. You can take the kid out of the streets, but you can't take the streets out of the kid, right? She was a runner. When the going got tough, Jo Wilson got going, and she didn't waste any time in doing so.

But this was different. _He_ was different, and somewhere along the line, she'd changed too.

Her days of running from her problems like a scared little girl were over.

She wasn't going anywhere.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Now that she'd connected the dots, she couldn't pretend she hadn't. The realisation was there, bigger than she could contain already, and still growing. She'd tried to ignore it for a while, to give herself some time to figure it out, but resistance was futile, and the more she thought about it, the less complicated it seemed.

She was at a loss for how to go about telling him. He'd kind of stolen the show with his proclamation, and it wasn't like her and romance went hand in hand either. There was no way she was going to top it. So, the next morning at the coffee cart, she decided to throw caution to the wind.

Alex handed her one of the cups of coffee he was holding, taking a cautious sip from the steaming beverage. "Your usual, princess."

She eyed the container suspiciously. "Milk and two sugars?"

"You're going to get diabetes, you know that?"

She stared at him. "Oh, sure, take away my sugar. See how sweet I am then."

He snorted. "Because you're so charming now."

"I could be a lot worse." she assured him, sighing happily as the first of the sweet liquid hit the back of her throat. "Besides, dying young means you won't have a chance to get annoyed with me."

He scoffed. "I'm already annoyed with you. You have a freakin' massive amount of bad habits."

A coy smile played on her lips. "Do tell."

"Well, for a small person, you do take up a lot of space in bed. You do this thing where you lie in the middle of the freakin' bed and y-"

"First of all, I'm not that small. Your insults are probably stunting what little growth I can achieve at this point. Second-" Jo searched desperately for an appropriate comeback. As expected, she had nothing. Undoubtedly, the perfect response would come to her later. "Second, shut up, jerk."

He smirked, throwing an arm around her. She pushed it off, spinning around to glare at him. She wasn't really mad, but she got endless amusement out of him thinking she was.

"Come on, princess. You know you love me."

She considered this. "Yeah. I kinda do."

Jo ran off as quickly as she could, leaving a startled Alex to realise what had just happened.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Later that evening she took a cab back to the frat house. The driver attempted to make small talk a few times, but her monosyllabic responses put him off fairly quickly. Jo wasn't in the mood to talk. She knew Alex wasn't working, and after the bombshell she'd dropped earlier, she was nervous as hell. She knew he wanted her to say it, obviously, but that didn't make her any less worried.

About what, she wasn't quite sure.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Jo grabbed the key from its less than great hiding place under the welcome mat. She made a mental note to recommend that Yang change it. Alex didn't appreciate the possibility of getting robbed. He had some stupid man idea that, in the event of such a situation, he'd fend off the attackers while she and Yang escaped. She smiled. Yeah, it was stupid, but also kind of sweet.

She paused before sticking the key in the lock. What happened next was...important. Maybe she should have stuck around earlier. Running off like that was stupid and impulsive, but at the time she couldn't even look at him.

Jo used the last of her resolve to open the door. Yeah, she was freaking out. But she was still here, and that counted for something. For her, it was a first, and she felt oddly proud of herself. Maybe there was a shred of hope for her after all.

The door had barely swung open before Alex appeared and there was a moment of awkwardness while she hesitated in the doorframe. She stared at him, and something changed in his eyes and the moment passed as quickly as it had arrived. They moved towards each other and his hands went for her waist at the same time as hers went for his hair.

They tangled in a fierce competition for dominance until he broke away, breathing heavily. He looked at her, and the want in his gaze made her feel like she was on fire.

"You love me?" he questioned.

"I do. And you love me."

He demonstrated his agreement, and she approved of the gesture wholeheartedly.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The next morning, the doorbell rang. Envious of the fact that Alex seemed able to remain fast asleep, Jo closed her eyes in an attempt to ignore it and get back to sleep, but the caller seemed insistent, and the ringing went on.

Eventually she gave up, pulling on a shirt of his that he'd thrown on the floor the night before and bounded down the stairs, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. The sooner she got this person to leave, the sooner she could go back to sleep.

Jo tried her best to seem awake, and it wasn't hard when she thought of what had happened last night. She couldn't help but smile as she pulled the door open, although it faded quickly as she registered the distasteful look on the face of the stranger standing the door.

Jo frowned. "Can I, uh, help you?"

The blonde smirked. "Intern, right? No, give me a second guess. You're too peppy to be an intern. Nurse?"

Jo stared at her, still half-asleep and processing what exactly was happening.

"Intern, actually. But more importantly, who the hell are you?"

The stranger merely nodded knowingly. "Ah. Alex always did like them young." She glanced over Jo's shoulder, as if performing an inspection upon the place. "There's a lot less furniture than I remember. Mer really let the place go."

Jo didn't move, uncomfortably aware of the fact that she wasn't wearing pants and not really having any idea what to do. She wished Alex would wake up and come help her out, but the man slept like a log.

The woman smiled reassuringly. "Listen, this doesn't concern you, really. You seem like a nice kid who just made a bad choice. I mean it. Screwing my husband isn't going to earn you any respect in this hospital."

Izzie Stevens pushed her way past an insulted Jo and set about making herself a cup of coffee in the kitchen. She'd missed Seattle. It was good to be back.

**A/N: I'm not entirely sure this chapter even makes sense because I had prom yesterday and I had too much to drink + barely any sleep, so let me know if there are any grammatical/spelling errors.**

**Reviews = love, people. **

**NO JOLEX IN THE NEXT EPISODE'S PROMO BUT FANCY BALL THING SHOULD BE GOOD FOR SOME EYE-CANDY AT LEAST**

**AND LAST EPISODE**

**JO**_**SEX**_

**Guys, your reviews are just perfect. Seriously. Special thanks to Aoife, Annie, ncistony97, kasiekk26, Queen Viv, Chanel, and Burcu. Love you all to death.**


	16. What A Small, Small World

**Disclaimer: If I was Shonda and had time to write all day, I would.**

**Dedication: this one is for Burcu, the Alex to my Jo, because she's annoying as hell but this chapter probably wouldn't have been written without her**

While the blonde made herself at home making coffee in the apartment Jo was still getting used to, Jo's mind raced. Alex had told her about his previous marriage, albeit briefly, but she very distinctly remembered the prefix 'ex' being used. He'd said there was no way she'd ever come back, and she hadn't pressed for details, figuring he'd open up about it eventually. Foolishly, she'd assumed they had time. But she was Jo and he was Alex and if things could go wrong between the two of them, they did, more often than not.

And now the very attractive former wife of her boyfriend was in his kitchen, performing domestic chores she'd probably never master (she could make coffee, but not very well, even though the beverage was a staple in her diet). Jo scoffed silently. She could probably bake, too. She looked like she'd walked off the cover of American Housekeeping, for god's sake. She didn't have a hair out of place and her clothes looked like she'd ironed them ten minutes ago.

Jo was suddenly very conscious of her attire, or lack thereof. Alex's crumpled shirt probably wasn't doing much to dispel the belief that she was Alex's skank of the day, and she was pretty sure running her fingers quickly through her sex hair hadn't had the same effect as a comb. And, of course, the distinct lack of pants wasn't doing her any favours.

She coughed purposely, to remind Izzie that she was still here, and also in the faint hope that although Alex was the world's heaviest sleeper, he'd wake up and come down to find out where she'd disappeared to. The latter, of course, didn't happen. It would have been too easy. But the older woman turned around, seeming almost surprised that she was still there, as if she'd assumed she had snuck off earlier.

Unfortunately, she wasn't going anywhere, for now at least, and Jo decided to try and make a good impression. Couldn't hurt, right? Making one last attempt to sort out her messy hair, she stuck out a hand and attempted a genuine smile. "Jo Wilson, intern. Pleased to meet you." The limp handshake and lack of response gave her the impression she hadn't quite hit the target.

And then Alex appeared in the doorway, sleep-deprived and rubbing at tired eyes, but looking so much like a miracle that Jo wondered if she was seeing things.

He was exhausted- coming off a 36 hour shift from a job he loved and then spending some seriously quality time all night with his girlfriend was good for the soul but not the rest his body so sorely desired. And then he'd woken up with a distinct lack of Jo next to him, so he'd wandered groggily downstairs to make sure she wasn't burning down the freaking kitchen in an attempt to make breakfast or something.

She wasn't. Instead, he witnessed a sight that was a lot less probable, and a lot more terrifying.

His girlfriend and his ex-wife having coffee.

Or rather, his ex-wife making coffee, and ignoring his half-dressed girlfriend.

He hadn't seen Izzie in years, and while on the surface she looked like she hadn't changed at all, there were subtle differences. There were wrinkles where there hadn't been before, and she carried herself differently. More self-confident, more self-assured. Less sweet and innocent. Time had passed, and changed Izzie Stevens, and he had a funny feeling he was about to find out if it was for better or worse.

He pulled up a stool at the kitchen counter, and Jo felt keenly the distance between them. This was _not _going how she'd pictured. She stood up abruptly, smiling self-deprecatingly. Her coat was hung on the rack by the door, and it came to her knees. With it closed, she could get home with nobody being the wiser as to her clothing situation. She had no idea where her shoes were, but she'd spotted a pair of Yang's boots by the door. They were the same size, and she'd rather risk her wrath than stay here any longer.

"I better go. I'm sure you two have a lot to talk about."

Alex looked alarmed. Whether it was at the thought of her leaving or the thought of being stuck here alone with his ex-wife, she wasn't sure, but a look sure as hell wasn't enough to compel her to stay.

"Jo, come on. Don't go." He wanted, needed her to stay, but he couldn't even look at her. Why was it that even though he'd finally managed to tell her he loved her, he still couldn't tell her when he needed her?

Izzie scoffed in derision. "Alex, I'm doing you a favour here. Don't you usually prefer your girls gone _before _you wake up? Let the intern go. She's clearly already made a few bad choices, let her make a good one."

**A/N: I suck, so much. I haven't updated in ages, but writer's block has been a pain in the ass lately. School has been busy lately, and badminton season is starting up again so I'll have even less time, but I promise an update too, and probably some sort of one-shot. **

**Reviews = love, people. (No, seriously. I got a review a couple days ago asking where I'd disappeared to and it gave me the kick I needed to update!) And I've hit 99 reviews now, so the next chapter will be dedicated to the 100****th**** reviewer **

**NO JOLEX IN THE NEXT EPISODE'S PROMO BUT HE LET HER IN THE DOOR GUYS HE LET HER IN (IS THIS A METAPHOR? FOR LETTING HER IN IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP?)**

**AND JO AS TINKERBELLE**

**Hit me up on tumblr if you're on it, or even if you're not, at .com**

**Special thanks to Aoife, Em, Annie, jolexshipper, lennysheartlocket, kasiekk26, Queen V, Leah, and Burcu. Love you all to death.**


	17. Get What You Need

**Disclaimer: I'm distinctly less consistent and much more Jolex-friendly than Shonda**

**Dedication: for JolexShipper, for that cute as hell review**

She'd grown up having to take care of herself, and as a result Jo had been choosing what she thought was best for herself for a long time.

"_She's clearly made some bad choices here."_

She hadn't always done well. She'd made the wrong call, gone home with guys she shouldn't, used money she'd earned to buy clothes she didn't really need instead of food she did.

"_Let her make a good one."_

But she was all grown up now, and she prided herself on making the right choice for herself.

Izzie was staring at her, eyebrow raised, sure she was about to hightail it out of there, and maybe old Jo would have. But slowly but surely, Alex had changed her. For better or worse, she was different now, and she was here to stay. No blonde lingerie-modelling ex-wives were going to scare her off. She nodded at Alex, retaking her seat at the table, even though at that moment she'd rather have been doing punishment rectals for a pissed off Yang.

Although the blonde couldn't have been more than six or so years older than her, she had a way of making Jo feel like a six year old who'd been caught doing something she didn't, and five long seconds of awkward, tension-filled silence passed between the three before Alex spoke.

"Look, Iz. You come waltzing back into my life like you never left, fine. Nothing I'm not used to. You don't call, you don't text, you don't even let me know you're still _alive_, not exactly unexpected, I guess." He looked her dead in the eyes unwaveringly. "But you do not get to come into my house and talk crap about my girlfriend, who you know nothing about, by the way."

If Izzie was surprised by the outburst, she didn't let on. Instead, a small smirk played on her lips. "That's sweet, Alex. Really. I was going to wait until we'd finished our coffee, or at least do it in private, but I have a proposition for you. One I think you'll like." He frowned, but she went on anyway. "It's all you've ever wanted really, isn't it?" She cast a patronising glance at Jo. "And I can give it to you."

Alex's ex-wife paused, glancing at the two, savouring the suspense in the air. Jo had no idea what was going on, and from the look on her boyfriend's face, neither did he. Unfortunately, she suspected they were both going to find out.

"I've had some time to think," she began, almost self-consciously. "And I'm starting to think I didn't make the right decision leaving you. But I was young, and stupid." Here she looked pointedly at Jo. "And now I'm ready. Alex, you know you still love me. Now you can have me- and our kids."

**A/N: What's this? Another update? Has hell frozen over or I have gotten over my writer's block?**

**Special thanks to Aoife, Em, jolexshipper, kasiekk26, FictionFan01, Chanel, Guest, Guest, Guest, and Burcu. Love you all to death.**


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